Ivy House

Reviews

• GN

  Gavin Jon Nixon

  Sep 9, 2026
  2.0
  It’s such a shame to be writing this because the staff are largely the same lovely people they were before, and the pub itself looks great after the refurbishment. It’s smart, clean and has definitely been given a new lease of life visually. Unfortunately, though, it feels like everything that actually gave the place its character has been stripped away. It now feels much more like a generic chain pub — quite sterile and cold, both in atmosphere and literally. It was absolutely freezing when we visited. We went in for food at around 8pm because it was advertised as being served until 9pm, only to be told the kitchen had already closed. The layout also seems much less suited to eating now, with a lot of the tables in the main bar area removed to make space for high tables, a pool table and dart boards. I can imagine getting a table for food being difficult once it’s busy. We had the dog with us and initially sat at a small table in the bar. We’d just bought our drinks when we were then told we couldn’t sit there with the dog, so we ended up moving into the even colder sports area. The whole place now feels much more like a sports bar than the Ivy House we used to really enjoy. Even the atmosphere felt different. There was generic rock/country music playing and, while that might sound like a small thing, it just didn’t feel like the pub we knew. The menu also looks noticeably more limited. The old pizzas may technically have been closer to flatbreads, but they were big, had loads of choice and felt a bit different. The new selection looks much more generic, including two with hot honey — which I know is very fashionable at the moment, but it all just adds to the feeling that the individuality has gone. One final thing that did concern me was seeing a member of staff serving pints with extremely long nails and then using her hand to wipe foam from the outside/top of the glass while pouring. Having worked in hospitality for a large part of my life, it didn’t come across as particularly hygienic. It’s genuinely disappointing because the refurbishment looks lovely and the existing staff are mostly great, but the place seems to have lost what made it worth going to in the first place. We would have liked to try the food, but after this visit I can’t see us rushing back anytime soon.
• PS

  Philip spencer

  Aug 30, 2026
  3.0
  Nicely refurbished in the same style as before. Had live music on Saturday night. Decent size outdoor area. Well priced drinks. Two dart boards look good although board feels like its not secured properly. Pool table was very uneven and cue tips were terrible, no chance of a proper game.
• BT

  Benjamin Taylor

  Aug 28, 2026
  5.0
  Awesome food, lovely atmosphere
• TB

  Ted Bedlington

  Aug 27, 2026
  1.0
  Feel sorry for the staff to of seen such a fall from grace. Start by getting rid of the pool table and dart boards, sort the music out and get the guest keg beer back on. Regulars have been completely alienated. Hope the place bombs and someone who knows what the ivy is about takes it over.
• RB

  Roselin Batters

  Aug 27, 2026
  1.0
  POST REFURB UPDATE: Absolutely gutted to say that my local has been completely ruined. Everything that made the ivy the ivy, the character, the music, the guest beer, the cosy feeling has been pasteurised down to the minutia. Once a unique Sunderland icon, you could now be at any boring chain pub in the country. A pity beyond belief. The ivy house, the pub that never needed to change.